SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – In a letter to Guardian newspaper, more than 500 university professors said the UK government’s counter-terror legislation is “unnecessary and ill-conceived”. The counter-terror plan would see a legal duty placed on academics to prevent students being drawn into terrorism and require the speeches of visiting speakers to be vetted in advance.

The letter said: “The best response to acts of terror against UK civilians is to maintain and defend an open, democratic society in which discriminatory behaviour of any kind is effectively challenged.”

“Ensuring colleges and universities can continue to debate difficult and unpopular issues is a vital part of this. “Draconian crackdowns on the rights of academics and students will not achieve the ends the government says it seeks.”